BUILDING ENVELOPE (DOORS & WINDOWS)
Windows into the future of tradition
Mike Bygrave from Roseview Windows discusses the resurgence of heritage windows, and how self-builders can now benefit from a greater choice than ever before when it comes to finding the right traditional look
T
he window industry used to be about cheap white plastic windows; that’s no longer the case. Heritage
and timber-alternative windows are popular and well-established, increasingly used on both refurbishment and new build projects. Nothing typifies this movement more than sliding sash windows.
Sash windows have been a significant part of British architecture since the 17th century. Their popularity peaked in the 18th and 19th centuries, before dipping in the mid-1950s. But the UK’s ageing housing stock means that there are a huge number of older properties out there that require renovation. At the same time, the number and coverage of conservation areas are increasing, as are Article 4 directions locking down permitted development rights in those areas. This mirrors a wider interest in heritage and conservation across the nation that doesn’t just cover refurbishment and renovation; it’s reflected in new build architecture as well. In turn this drives demand and expectation for suitable building products.
THE HERITAGE EXPLOSION
For many years the fenestration industry was bland and uninspiring. New windows were typically white PVCu casements that all looked the same, accompanied by front doors with feature panels and rambling rose leads. They were commodities; with little consumer demand for difference, manufacturers kept things simple and cheap. The landscape is different now.
Vanguard products such as sash windows, composite doors and – more recently – flush casements have reacted to, and subsequently driven consumer demand. All of these started as niche products, initially developed to meet a particular need or circumstance, but which then caught the public’s imagination.
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Taking sash windows as an example, in 1985 Roseview Windows partnered with systems house Rehau and London housing group The Peabody Trust, to develop something that could replace the failing timber sashes in much of the trust’s housing stock. The existing windows were largely too far gone for cost-effective refurbishment, but the forward-thinking Trust didn’t want to replace them with cheap modern casements. Between them the group developed the first commercially viable PVCu sash window, based on the standard London design. Thirty-five years later, we still manufacture those sash windows – albeit significantly updated and improved versions. Its estimated that now around 8,000 PVCu sash windows are installed across the UK every week.
OLD & NEW
Heritage windows aren’t just for renovations – housebuilders have also tuned in to the demand for traditional styles. A significant proportion of new developments take design cues from traditional architecture. Heritage windows – although originally designed as replacements – are an ideal way of enhancing their appearance. For example, we recently worked with an independent developer to deliver sash windows for 60 plots on a project in Buckinghamshire. The firm’s CEO lives in a large Victorian farmhouse in Gloucestershire that was undergoing renovation. He chose to replace his own windows with the same sash windows that were being used on his company’s modern urban development – they were ideal for both.
INDIVIDUALITY AS STANDARD The interest in heritage doesn’t stop at window styles; opportunities for consumers to express their individuality have also blossomed. The most obvious example is colour; whereas almost all new
There’s a wider interest in heritage and conservation that doesn’t just cover refurbishment and renovation
windows were white, now colour and woodgrain finishes are becoming the norm. Across the industry PVCu companies are reporting that more than half their output is grained or coloured – something that was rare five years ago. Of the thousands of colour options available, over the last two years anthracite grey has been the most popular. This is based on interest in large, clean, minimal, industrial designs, which in turn links back to heritage. The same is true for countless other areas: hardware, profile lines, glazing bars – even glass
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